Milo gives me crap again at the job site for looking like shit. We’re wrapping up the kitchen island at the Hernandez cottage. The painting crew came early to do the base of the island and left the finished cabinet doors in the garage for us to attach today.
“Lucky for you, you get to leave a little early again today,” I tell him as I come inside the kitchen with my screw gun in hand.
“Oh, c’mon, Beck. Don’t be a dick. You’re gonna cut my hours because I was messing with you?”
Rolling my eyes at him, I chuckle as I crouch in front of the island. “Not because of that, dumbass. Not everything has to do with you.”
Milo blows out a breath as he hands me a cabinet door. “Okay, so what’s up?”
“Rosie has to meet with Dottie’s lawyer and she asked me to stay with Charlie.”
“Whoa, big step.”
“Speaking of big steps, you wanna come by and meet her?” I glance up at him as he offers me a hinge.
He hunches a shoulder. “Sure. She’s my niece, isn’t she?”
“I’m thinking of going to the island soon to see Dad.” The sound of him rummaging in the container with the hinges and screws is the only thing I hear in response because he’s quiet at first. When I look up at him, he’s pursing his lips.
“Are you taking Charlie to meet him?”
“Nah, not yet. It’s too soon. Maybe next time she comes for a visit. But I was gonna tell him about her…maybe we’ll go fishing or something.”
“What do you mean, when she comes for a visit?”
He’s deflecting, meaning he doesn’t want to talk about Dad right now. I don’t blame the kid—Dad did a number on him too. I want to push him to going to therapy, but last time I brought it up, he shot me down on the spot.
“So you couldn’t talk Rosie into moving back here?”
A groan escapes my mouth. “Nope.”
There’s a pause between us while we continue working.
“And have you considered moving to Seattle?”
The screw gun nearly slips from my grip. “Are you serious? Explain to me, Milo, how that would work?”
“Chill.” He holds up a palm. “It’s not that crazy of an idea.”
“My business is here. You’re here.”
“I mean, yeah…but you can’t base a decision like that off those things. You know I’m not planning on working with you forever. And if I have it my way, my new single or this reality show will be the start of something big for me. I could be in LA by the end of summer.”
My gut pinches and I don’t want to think about a world like that. One where Milo is a few hours away and I’m here, in Golden Harbor, alone. It’s selfish—trying to keep Milo here—but I’d miss him too damn much.
I nod, trying and clearly failing at processing everything in my jumbled brain.
“Just don’t rule it out, is all I’m saying. This kid—Charlie—she’s your daughter.”
“I know,” I grit out.
Milo and I stand on Dottie’s back porch, and I knock on the door. A few moments later, the curtain lifts and Rosie and I make eye contact through the small window. There’s something recognizable in her gaze. Hurt or pain. Her vision flicks to Milo and I just now realize that I never let her know he was coming with me.
“Hey, guys. Hi, Milo, it’s good to see you again,” she greets after opening the door.
Milo gives her a hug. “It’s good to see you too. And again, I’m so sorry about Dottie. We all loved her.”
“I know.” She gives him a slight nod and turns around, waving us inside. “C’mon, I’m just about ready to go.”
